Tips to stay healthy on the high seas!
Spring break is almost here! Many families take advantage of the break from school for a well-deserved family vacation. A popular choice is going on a cruise.
Living in the cruise capital of the world makes it easy to book a voyage, jump on a ship, and hit the open waters. Before boarding, there are some precautions you should take to make sure you don’t get sick on the high seas.
Over the last couple of years, there have been some reported outbreaks of norovirus on cruises. Recently, a ship had to return to port early because so many passengers were sick. Norovirus is very contagious and can be transmitted by coming into contact with contaminated food or water, or by touching a contaminated surface.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed leading to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. The CDC states that it is the most common cause of foodborne disease outbreak in the country, and it causes illness in 19 to 21 million people, contributes to 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths annually.
There are precautions you can take to lessen your chances of catching this virus. You should practice proper hygiene by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or by singing “Happy Birthday” twice. Always wash your hands before eating, preparing or handling food, and especially after using the toilet and changing diapers.
Antibacterial or alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used in addition to hand washing. They should not be used as a substitute for washing with soap and water.
The following are symptoms of Norovirus: diarrhea, throwing up, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headaches, and body aches.
If you in fact have norovirus you can feel extremely sick and vomit or have diarrhea multiple times a day. This can easily lead to dehydration. Signs of dehydration are decrease in urination, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up.
There is no specific treatment for norovirus and it cannot be healed with medicine because it is a viral, not a bacterial infection. The best thing you can do to get better is to drink plenty of liquids to replace the ones you have lost; this will also help prevent dehydration.
To stay hydrated, avoid drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol. Sports drinks may help, but over the counter rehydration fluids can be more helpful in replacing important nutrients and minerals.
Most people with norovirus illness get better within one to three days. Although it is a short time period, it is long enough to ruin your vacation.
When going on that long-awaited cruise, remember to always wash your hands and your will greatly minimize your chance of catching anything and maximize your probability of having a healthy and fun trip! Happy Spring Break!